Early Encounters
by Grendle1853
Summary: Before the Justice League, before she even knew his name, the Knight and the Princess's paths sometimes crossed.
1. Chapter 1

Normally I wouldn't post a story without showing it to my BETA, but at the moment her computer is broken. I've done my best to make it readable though, and I hope you enjoy it!

...

A incredibly large bearded man stands in a white and purple leisure suit in a warehouse in Gotham. Behind him his cohorts lead a large group of young girls gagged and in chains. "You here Mr. Cobblepot?" he asks into the darkness.

A very round squat man with a large nose and dressed in a tuxedo and holding an umbrella turns on the lights and his goons step forward to take the girls from the other party. "You can just call me Penguin Mr. Hercules."

"Herakles," the large man corrects, handing over the end of one chain, "its a common mistake."

The Penguin examines one of the frightened girls. "You have a fine eye for quality," the bird man observes.

"They're no Amazons, but they should fetch quite a price," the massive Greek answers. "I did have some trouble collecting them though."

Herakles leads his fellow villain over to reinforced shipping container and opens the door. Inside hanging from the ceiling and wrapped in a golden glowing cord, is the most beautiful woman the Gotham rogue has ever seen. She has ocean blue eyes, long raven black hair, and perfect skin. A gold tierra with a red star in the middle rests on her forehead, and around the the cord one can see her red and gold top and star spangled bottom. She looks at them with cold rage on her lovely face. "When I get out of this, after I beat you both down, I'm going to bind you both and sell you to some other perverted collector," she tells them.

The Penguin gets very worried. "Is that who I think she is?"

"The Wonder Woman," Herakles answers. "She tried to stop my business venture. Would have succeeded too if I didn't have help," he explains as he pinches the badly beaten Cheetah hanging on the wall of the container.

"Why did you bring her here?" Penguin asks, nervously stepping backwards.

"I have plans for the Princess, plans which I couldn't get too before our meeting, and I couldn't risk leaving her alone somewhere," the demigod answers nonchalantly. "Don't worry, I have bound with her own unbreakable Lasso, which I then have secured in this very strong lock," he assures holding up the giant titanium padlock.

"You should kill me while you have the chance, because I will make you pay for this," Wonder Woman calmly tells him.

Penguin takes out a handkerchief and wipes the sweet off his forehead. "Lets just get the merchandise ready the ship will be here within an hour."

At that moment, all the lights in the warehouse go out. The Penguin's eyes dart around as he points his umbrella up into the darkness. "He's here!" he shouts to his men.

"Who's here?" Herakles asks confused.

"The reason for my recent rise to power. The thing that took out all my competition and now has set sight on me," the squat man explains, "the Batman."

The Greek muscle man rolls his eyes then commands his men, "Go forth and kill the flying rodent."

As the two groups of goons begin to venture into the darkness, and black form appears out of the darkness for just the instant it takes to snatch a man off his feet and disappear back into the shadows, as every armed man begins opening fire in vain at where he was.

"He got Ted!" one man shouts terrified.

"He's...he's just one man! Go out there and get him, or you'll have me to deal with!" The Penguin shouts, then fires a couple of shots into the air. The men, remotivated, go forward into the darkness.

The two villains wait in the glow of the Lasso of Truth. Every now again they hear gunfire and screams, but then there is a long period of silence.

"Report!" Herakles demands.

A deep voice that sounds like it comes from the darkness itself answers, "You never should have tried this in my city."

The Penguin decides to make a run for it, and bolts in the direction of the exist. He looks to his right and begins unloading his umbrella in that direction. The gunfire illuminates the Batman as he ducks and dodges the deadly brass, then he pulls the gun out of the gangster's hand, socks him one, then pulls him back into the darkness. The little man's foul painfilled screech can be heard from one side of the warehouse then the other.

"Cobblepot?" Herakles asks the shadows. In response, the bound and beaten crook is dropped just within the Lasso's light.

"Scared Herakles?" the Amazon princess asks.

"Please. I've fought real monsters, a man pretending to be one is just pathetic," he tells her. Herakles removes his jacket, folds it, then tosses it aside. Then he steps out of the container and opens his arms wide and shouts into the darkness, "I'm right here Batman! Come out and face me!"

Out of the darkness, a spinning black bat-shaped weapon flies at the demigod. Herakles easily dodges the weapon, only to look behind him and see it continue on its path and imbed itself into the lock hanging from Wonder Woman. Before his eyes the titanium padlock, freezes then in a shower of sparks the batarang bursts and shatters the lock.

"Fuck..." Herakles moans as the furious Amazon charges him.

The evil demigod is able to avoid the first blow, but the next four hit him right in the gut. Then the Lasso wraps wraps around his neck and pulls his face straight into her knee. The villain finally lands a backhanded swipe that knocks Wonder Woman back and stuns her for a second.

As Herakles tries pull the Lasso off of him, the Dark Knight appears out of nowhere and swipes his cape at his face, hitting him in the eyes with the cape's lead weighted tips. When the villain turns around holding his wounded eyes, the Amazon returns and delivers a quick and devastating kick to his groin with all her might. As he doubles over in pain the superheroine grabs his head, lifts him up, then pile-drives him face first into the cement floor.

After Diana binds her enemy with her Lasso, she looks up and sees the Batman gone and all the captured women (except for Cheetah) free and walking around. Wonder Woman quickly flies up to the roof and catches the hero before he can disappear. "Batman," she says catching his attention. The Dark Knight turns around his white lenses look meet her eyes. "Thank you."

The Batman nods his head, "Princess." Then the Caped Crusader drops over the side of the building. Wonder Woman quickly runs to the edge and looks over the side to find that the Batman is magically gone. She smiles as the sound of police sirens approach.

_Reviews are always welcome._


	2. Chapter 2

My BETA Hepburn went over this chapter so it should be easier to read, so thanks Hepburn! Also thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter! Now here is chapter two!

...

The Batman, the Dark Knight of Gotham city, one of the most feared men alive...is on a date with a reality show star. "Well ever since E! gave me a new show, not a spin-off mind you MY own show, everything has been going great! He he he he!" her annoying high pitch voice screeched to the assembled party.

Bruce and his date are currently at a "charity party", being held in a top floor penthouse. Given the large heated pool, it's technically a "charity pool party". _They had better cure cancer_, Bruce thinks to himself as he tries to ignore the brainless woman on his arm.

"Didn't you say that Wonder Woman was supposed to be coming tonight?" another party guest asks. "I was really looking forward to seeing her in a bathing suit!"

"She's practically in a bathing suit all the time," a female party guest says in a somewhat bitter voice.

"I don't know! I'd love to see her wearing even less!" Bruce Wayne shouts. For once he isn't lying while in playboy mode. And his "date" has stopped talking and has taken a step away from him, bonus.

"You know superheroes," the thrower of the party says, "they never show up on time unless there is trouble."

"Good thing too," a creepy voice says from behind the crowd. A man steps forth dressed in a long and tattered patchwork coat, a wide brim hat, and an equally tattered fabric mask. "That should give me a chance to get some real data," the Scarecrow says, as his men begin rounding everyone up.

As the henchmen go about their tasks, Bruce Wayne tries to think of a way to break off and change into his uniform. Finally an idea comes to his mind. _I guess Bruce Wayne can be brave, as long as he's also stupid._ After thinking that he takes three timid looking steps towards the super-villain. "Um...Mr. Scarecrow?" he asks.

A pair of cold clinical eyes look at him from under the cloth mask, "Yes Mr. Wayne?"

"Look, you want money right? Well money I have. Why don't you let everyone go and I'll just wire you as much as you want?" he asks in his best rich fool voice.

"That is very generous of you Mr. Wayne," Crane tells him. Then, right on cue, he sprays fear toxin into the rich man's face. "But I'll have to decline."

Wayne screams in fear and runs off wildly as the villain's henchmen laugh at his back. Once away from prying eyes, he calms himself with meditation for a minute or two, then ignores the hallucinations long enough to get to the batsuit and his utility belt which holds a shot of fear toxin antidote. He changes into his uniform and is ready by the time two of the Scarecrow's goons come down for Mr. Wayne.

"Come on rich boy, its time you came back and played with your friends," one of them shouts.

" Yeah rich boy, they miss ya!" The other says sarcastically.

In response the Batman rips away the first henchmen's gun, punches him in the throat, and then knees him in the groin. His friend gets the chance to let out one scream and three badly aimed shots before he was grabbed by the neck, lifted up, then slammed back first into the ground.

"Three more," the vigilante whispers to himself before hugging the shadows on his way out. From the darkness he sees the two remaining goons waving their guns about terrified and the Scarecrow waiting calmly in front of the railing.

"Is it the Bat?" one of the goons asks, fear evident in his voice.

"Yes, I'd recognize his aura of fear anywhere," the villain answers, "I'd put your weapons down gentlemen, it will be far less painful for you that way."

The two criminals look at each other confused for a second, "You sure boss?" one of them asks.

"Yes I'm sure, we're done here," the Scarecrow answers. He holds up his hands, with his wrists together, and shouts into the darkness, "I surrender Batman!" A second later his men throw their guns to the side and get on their knees with their hands behind their heads.

The Batman knows this is a trap, but he has to try to make it work to his advantage. He steps out into the light, looks at the guests and commands, "All of you, get out now!" The elite group wastes no time following his command.

Once all the civilians are out of danger, the Dark Knight charges straight at the Arkham rogue trying not to give him any time to prepare himself. As soon as the Batman grabs him though, a high voltage shock rips through him. He sags against the villain for a second before Scarecrow pitches him over the railing.

As the hero falls through the night air, his muscles still unresponsive, he looks up at the sky and thinks, So Scarecrow is the one who kills me? I didn't think Crane would have improved his methods, I didn't figure he'd think outside the box. I thought he'd just gas me when I got close. Foolish mistake. Foolish death.

However, this night is not this knight's last. Someone flies up and catches him. At first he is not sure who it is, they came up from behind and wrapped their arms around him, cushioning his fall, and then they started flying up for more altitude. But he can feel the curves of a woman, and the beautiful scent that lingers on her. _An angel has saved me?_ He thinks to himself. He looks over his shoulder at his rescuer, _No. A goddess._

"Looks like my party got crashed," Wonder Woman says as she flies him back up to the roof.

"Yeah by Scarecrow and a couple of cronies," he answers.

"What is it with villains and charities?" she asks.

Guessing that was rhetorical, the Batman instead tells her, "The goons have automatic weapons. Take them out while I deal with Scarecrow."

"Are you sure that you are up for it?" she asks with a hint of mischief in her voice.

He flexes his muscles and cracks his neck, "Yeah, I owe him some pain," he answers.

The Amazon picks up some speed and soon reaches the roof. Once there she throws her passenger in an arc over the bad guys, then tackles one of the armed men to the ground. With the first goon quickly taken out of the picture, she begins to advance on the second, blocking his bullets with her bracers as she goes.

Ignoring the heroine at the moment, Crane turns to the Dark Knight and says, " I didn't think you'd expect that one. Seeing you falling like a rag-doll to your doom, and then being saved by your girlfriend Ms. America has really diluted your image to me. You used to be terrifying. Now your just another costumed goody two shoes."

The Batman smirks at him. "You want scary?" he asks. He pulls out a vial. "How 'bout a little fire Scarecrow?" he asks before hitting the villain squarely in the chest with the stuff and watching as his tattered costume bursts into flames.

The Scarecrow screams before running over and jumping in the pool. With the fire quenched, he surfaces to see his enemy kneeling at the pool's edge holding what looks like a batarang touching the water. "And her name is Wonder Woman," the Dark Knight informs him, before activating the weapon and sending a massive shock through the pool and Crane.

A minute later a burned, soaked, unconscious, but breathing Crane lays cuffed and unmasked next to his friends on the floor. "Remind me not to make you angry," Wonder Woman tells Batman.

"Compared to what you did to Heracles I was nice," he answers.

The Amazon Princess laughs at the comment as police cars begin to the circle the building at street level. "Is this where you disappear again?" she asks.

"Yes," he answers, stepping onto the railing.

"You know I'm starting to like running into you. We should do this more often," she says to his back.

"Maybe Princess," he answers before stepping off the roof into the night air. Diana then steps forward and looks down in time to see him swinging off on a grapple cable into the night of his city.

_Please feel free to review!_


	3. Chapter 3

I dedicate this chapter to my friend Rhonda, who always sends cards on important days and is always fun to talk to.

The Dark Knight sits, bound and gagged, in the dark. The manacles normally wouldn't be a problem, but at present his left arm is broken and he is barely able to stay conscious, so he isn't getting himself out of this. His upcoming death wouldn't be a pointless one though. That night the Batman had defeated an insane cult leader (who is now dead do to his own lack of balance) and had saved almost a hundred men, women, and children. He just couldn't save himself.

The door opens and two cultists grab him roughly and drag him out. They've cleared an area and have a sword ready. They're faith must be true, as the fall (literally) of their master wasn't enough to break it. In fact they tased, beat, and bound the hero within seconds of their leaders death. It is true that the Batman's will, training, and preparation is what has made him a man to reckoned with, but he has to admit that luck had a lot to do with his continued survival. As one of the cultists picks up the broadsword he is sure that the luck has finally run out.

_Not a pointless death though, _he thinks to himself, _I saved them, and these mad fools were too busy dealing with they didn't go after them._

The gag is pulled from his mouth and the one with the sword points the blade at his throat. "Any last words before we smite you from this world, demon?" he asks.

The Batman thinks about his friend Gorden and how he's going to be doing the job by himself now. He thinks about Alfred, in many ways as much his father as Tomas Wayne. He thinks about his city, sitting dark and proud in the night. He thinks about the blue eyed farm boy, and hopes he'll look in on his city from time to time. He thinks about the mischievous cat who is capable of so much more than petty theft. And then he thinks about a beautiful princess who was the closest thing to perfection he'd ever seen.

"I have no regrets," the dark hero answers. "Someone else will get the rest of you, and I'll be waiting for you when you get to Hell."

The cultist raises his sword and the Batman's stare never wavers. The blade never falls though, as before the madman can make his cut the wall behind him burst inward. In the hole stands the vision of perfection the Dark Knight thought of a second before, clothed in her usual red, white, and blue. Wonder Woman quickly assess the situation and glares at the man with the sword. "Drop the blade, this is your only warning," she orders.

"The Demon will die! Begone whore!" the sword wielder shouts as he swings his blade at the Amazon.

Wonder Woman blocks the blade with her bracelet, then easily clocks him one, knocking him out. The rest of the cultists rush her and try to bring her down, only to be knocked away, one by one, and bounce off the walls then drop witless to the ground. One gets back up, pulls out a knife, grabs the Dark Knight, and pulls him up so that he stands between him and the angry superheroine, then press the blade to the Caped Crusader's throat.

"Let me walk out of here, or I promise that I'll spill his blood," the villain says.

The Batman elbows his assailant in the stomach and head buts him hard hard in the face, then both men slump to the floor.

Diana rushes over and takes the hero in her arms. "Batman, its alright, I'll get you out of here," she tells him.

"I didn't think anyone was coming to save me," he tells her right before he loses conciseness.

The Batman wakes up later in the clinic of Leslie Thompkins. "Its sad that I can honestly say I've seen you in worst shape," the good doctor says, checking his cast.

"Alfred teach you bedside manner?" he asks, wondering why he's still in his mask.

"Who are you kidding, I taught it to him," she answers. "The only reason he's not here by the way is that I sent him to bed an hour ago. But you do have one visitor."

Leslie steps aside to reveal Diana Princess of Themyscira. "Its good to see you doing better," she says.

"How did you find me?" Batman asks.

"The news report said that neither the rest of the cultists or you had been seen, and I...had a feeling. So I flew over the area and listened until I heard your heartbeat," she answers.

"Thank you," Bruce tells her.

The Princess smiles, knowing how rare it is to hear that from the man. "You've been there for me, so I'll be there for you," she says.

Then Wonder Woman leaves her friend to heal, with the beautiful rhythm of his heart beat still in her ears.

_Feel free to review and tell me what you think!_


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